Wrench



H. M. HUSS WRENCH Filed Dec. 13. 1940 June 2, 1942.

Patented June 2, 1942 WRENCH Henry M. Huss, Aurora, Ill. Application December 13, 1940, Serial No. 370,036

(Cl. ill-57) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to .improvements in wrenches andone of the objects ofthe same is to provide an improved construction of wrench adapted for use in limited or small spaces where Wrenches of the usual construction cannot be employed, owing to the fact that a free swing ofthe wrench or leverage cannot be obtained.

A further object is to provide an improved Wrench of this character in which there is a rotatable socket carrying member and an axially rotatable handle, the axes of the socket carrying member and handle being disposedin planes intersecting each other, Vand improved means whereby upon axial `rotation of the handle the socket carrying member will be correspondingly rotated.

A further object is to providein a wrench of this character a supplemental member which is pivotally connected to the handle in such a manner that'the longitudinal dimension of the supplemental member may be positioned at substantially right angles to the axis of the handle, whereby said supplemental member, when the size of the` space in which it is operating will permit, may be employed as a lever whereby to axially rotate the handle, the said supplemental member being also adapted to be positioned with,

respect to the'said handle that the longitudinal dimension of the supplemental member will be` substantially in alinement with the axis of the handle to permit a sleeve to be telescoped thereover and on to the handle to maintain these parts in such position, the sleeve serving to increase the length of the handle. On the other end of the 'sleeve may be provided a foldable or pivotally mounted member that may serve as either a lever or a supplemental handle to operate the socket carrying member of the wrench.

A further object is to provide improved means for supporting the socket or head end of the wrench beyond the handle so that the operator may grasp the handle and rotate the same with considerable force, thereby eliminating the necessity of supporting or partially supporting the wrench withv the hand that is employed to rotate` the handle. Y

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Figure l is aside elevation of a wrench of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and showing an extension connected to the handle and a supplemental tool or implement engaging the head end to support the latter.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional View taken on lineV 2--2 Figure l.

Figure 3 is a detail Sectional view taken on' line 3 3 Figure l.

Figure 4 is a side elevationof the wrench with the handle extension removed and With the supplemental element at the end of the handle disposed in a position to serve as a lever for rotating the handle.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of Figure 4 on an enlarged scale, and partly broken away.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 `Figure 5.

The wrench consists essentially of a head I0 which may be of any desired size and configuration and projecting laterally therefrom is a shaft II which may be of any desired length and diameter. Carried by the head lo is another shaft l2, preferably in the form of a stub shaft the axis of which is substantially at right angles to the axis of the shaft Il. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft I2 is a bevel 'gear I3 which preferably is disposed Within a recess or socket portion I4 in the face of the head I0, and the gear I3 may be held against displacement with respect to the shaft I4 in any desired or suitable. manner such as by means of a fastening device I5 preferably in the form of a cotter pin, the gear I3 being freely rotatable upon the shaft I2.

This gear I3 is provided with a hub I6 which is angular in cross-section and is adapted to receive one end of a socket member or implement I1 sleeved thereover and which implement is itself axially rotatable with the gear I3.

Any suitable means may be provided for maintaining the implement Il against accidental detachment from the hub I6. To that end there may be provided a recess I8 in one of theiaces of the hub I6 into which a spring controlled ball or member I9 on the socket member or element I l is adapted to be seated.

The numeral 29 designates a tubular handle of any desired size and diameter which is sleeved upon the shaft ll. Carried by one end of the handle 2B is a bevel gear 2| which, when the handle is in position upon the shaft II may be disposed in a suitable recess 22 in one face of the head I0, and this bevel gear 2| meshes with the bevel gear I3 so that upon axial rotation of the handle 20 upon the shaft II, the gear I3 and hub I6 will be correspondingly rotated.

The hub 23 of the gear 2I forms a bearing for the handle 23 upon the shaft II and another bearing 24 is provided within the handle 20 for the end of the shaft I I.

The gear 2| and handle 29 are held in assembled relation with respect to the head Il) and the gear I3 in any suitable manner, preferably by upsetting the end of the shaft II, as at 25, adjacent the bearing 24.

In use, the socket member or implement I'I is placed upon the hub I6 of the gear I3, and the head I0 may be held in operative position with respect to the Work in any suitable manner so as to cause pressure to be exerted upon the head II] when the wrench is used in one position, and to support the head when the wrench is used in another position. The wrench is held in thisposition by one hand of the operator so as to leave the other hand free to grasp the Asleeve or handle ZIJ and axially rotate the same.

In order to facilitate the gripping of the handle and to prevent slipping of the hand with respect thereto, the periphery of the handle may be lknurled or roughened as indicated at 26.

A suitable means for supporting the head II! when the wrench or tool is used in a predetermined position embodies a separate hand hold- With this improved construction it will be manifest that the wrench or tool is adapted for free operation in very limited spaces as it is only necessary that a sucient space exists to permit of the insertion of the operators hand so as to grasp the sleeve or handle 20. The handle is then axially rotated while the head I0 of the tool is held against movement, and the handle is held against a bodily swinging movement.

If desired, there may be provided a supplemental element 3D of any desired size and configuration which is preferably provided with a head or enlargement 3I at one end thereof. This head is disposed within the free extremity of the sleeve or handle 23 by projecting into slots 32 in said end, the element 3!) being secured to the handle preferably by means of a pivot pin 33. The axis of the pivot of the element 3|) is transverse to the axis of the sleeve or handle 20, and the element is adapted to be turned to the position shown in Figure 4, when the size of the space in which the tool is to be employed will permit, and when so positioned serves as a lever by means of which the handle or sleeve 2l) may be axially rotated.

By the enlargement or provision of the head 3|, which is preferably of a diameter greater than the diameter of the sleeve or handle 20, portions of the enlargement will project through the slots 32 so as to engage the walls of the slot during the rotation of the handle 20, and thereby relieve the pivot 33 of strain during the operation of the wrench or tool.

If desired, an extension may be provided for the handle and this extension is preferably in the form of a sleeve 34 which is provided with slots 35 in one end and the sleeve is adapted to be telescoped ov-er the supplemental element 30 and the, sleeve 26 when the element is positioned soV that its longitudinal dimension will be substantially in alinement with the axis of the sleeve 2U. The slots 35 of the sleeve 34 receive the projecting portions of the head or enlargement 3| on the element 33, as shown in Figure 1.

This extension sleeve 34 may be of any desired length and at the free end thereof may be provided a handle element 36 which is pivotally connected to the extension 34 by means of an enlargement or head 31 thereon projecting into slots 38 in the end of the extension and being held in position for pivotal movement with respect thereto by means of a pivot 39.

This supplemental handle or lever 36 may be folded with respect to the extension 34 as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l so that the sleeve may be axially rotated by the operator by grasping the same with the hand and rotating it in the same manner as the sleeve 2Q, or if desired, and when the size of the space permits, the element 35 may be turned into the position shown in Figure l, that is, with its longitudinal dimension at right angles to the axis of the sleeve or extension 34 so as to operate or serve as a lever for actuating the Wrench.

With this improved construction is will be manifest that this wrench or tool may be employed in very limited spaces and by holding or supporting the head I0 by the implement 2'I `in performing its work while in the position shown in Figure l, the head can be supported by one hand of the operator and this will leave the other hand free to grip and rotate the handle 20.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claimsywithout departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

l. An implement of the character described embodying a head, a tool holding element rotatably supported by said head, a handle also supported by the head for axial rotation with respect thereto, an operative connection between the said handle and element for rotating the latter upon rotation of the handle, a supplemental element pivotally connected to the free end of the handle to form an extension thereof, said supplemental element being adapted to be swung about its pivot linto a position at an angle to the axis of the handle to provide a lever for rotating the handle, in combination with an extension for the handle,

said extension embodying a sleeve adapted to be telescoped over said supplemental element and handle to maintain the said extension against j said supplemental element being radially enlarged adjacent its pivot, and one end of said sleeve being bifurcated to receive the said enlarged portion of said element.

2. A wrench embodying a solid head member provided with two recesses arranged at substantially right angles to each other and opening through contiguous faces of the head, a portion of one recess intersecting the other, a shaft iixedly secured by one end to the head, extending i through and beyond one of said recesses, a socket holding element rotatable upon said shaft, a gear connected with said element and operating in one of said recesses, a second shaft fixedly secured by one end to the said head, projecting f through and beyond the other of said recesses, a

and axially rotatable about its supporting shaft to rotate said gears, a headon the end of the last said shaft, the last said head `co-operating with said bearing for maintaining said handle against separation from the rst said head and the said gears in mesh, the said bearing being spaced from the free end of said handle, and an operating element connected with said handle intermediate the said bearing and the free end of said handle.

HENRY M. HUSS. 

